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Winemaker's Notes

The 2008 harvest started off a bit challenging, but produced beautiful fruit all the same. The year began with unexpected last frost, heat spikes and unseasonable rain. However, the end of spring and all through summer provided idyllic conditions that remained around 80 degrees with dry weather and few heat spikes. Lower yields allowed intense, superb fruit to develop.

Our Angeline Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal refresher for the warm weather months. Fresh floral, honeydew melon and bright tropical aromatics lead to crisp and lively green melon flavors. This wine finishes soft and light with a lingering touch of citrus.

Critical Acclaim

WE90

Wine Enthusiast - "Angeline is one of the best second labels in California, in this case from Martin Ray. This 08' Sauvignon smacks of ripe, tangy Asian pear, gooseberry, fig, green melon, vanilla and spice flavors brightened by wonderfully crisp acidity. Just beautiful, and a nice bargain at this price."

Angeline Winery

Courtney Benham acquired the historic Martini & Prati winery in July 2003, which is now Martin Ray Winery and the home of our Tasting Room. The Tasting Room structure, dating back to the 1900's, used to serve as a stable and bunkhouse where Italian immigrants stayed during harvest and crush. The winery also houses a 1 million gallon production facility.

Established in 1881 as the Twin Fir Winery, the historic site is distinguished as the oldest winery in continuous operation in Sonoma County and one of the oldest wineries in California. The winery was able to stay in operation during prohibition by selling sacramental wines by train to Rabbis through a winery in New York. Originally known as Martini & Prati, which was established in 1902, the winery was run by five generations of the Martini family.

Thirty 11,000 gallon old-growth redwood tanks dating back to 1904 are still used at the winery and can be viewed during our winery tour.We primarily use French oak barrels due to its superb quality and oak accents that give the wines vanilla, spice and often herbaceous aromas and flavor. We use most of our barrels for 5 to 6 years, depending upon the percentages of new, neutral and old wood we want to use on a particular wine.
Beginning a new era for Martin Ray Winery at this historic site in the Russian River Valley has given us the opportunity to create a home for the Martin Ray and Angeline wines in a very unique and inviting setting. Visit us soon to experience Martin Ray Winery first-hand!
View all Angeline Wines

About Russian River

The Russian River Valley is named as such due to its proximity to the Russian River, the river itself named for the Russian fur traders who came down from Alaska in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Russian River is agricultural land. While there is a focus on wine, beyond the vineyards are many small, family-owned farms cultivating everything from cattle to Christmas trees.

Notable Facts

The proximity of this cool river and the rolling fogs from the Pacific Ocean make the area amenable to cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fact, the region is quite known for its full-bodied, yet elegant Pinot Noir, as well as their ripe, yet lean Chardonnays. Within Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. Chalk Hill is the warmer of the two and furthest from the ocean, while Green Valley is cooler and closer to the water.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

This wine presents itself as the perfect canvas for showcasing the fullpotential of a Russian River Sauvignon Blanc. The drinker
is greetedimmediately with aromas of Meyer lemon zest and pink grapefruit with an underlying sweet, creaminess reminiscent of freesias. Beneath ...

All the varietal zing you'd expect from the granddaddies of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand. Look at it in a
glass – it's just about singing with freshness. The lively nose shows tropical and citrus fruits with subtle herbaceous characters. ...

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Crisp

Light to medium bodied wines that are high in acid and light to medium fruit. Typically no oak.